Ethnic Skirt Refashion

Thursday, April 14, 2011

It is my duty as editor on Refashion Co-op today, and also time to write about my latest, and possibly my favourite refashion yet.

I picked up this gigantic garment from a garage sale for a dollar, chosen purely for it's fabulous ethnic print. I didn't know what it was till I got it home, realising it was the biggest wrap skirt I have ever seen in my life, made by Razona, in Pakistan..

So big, I could have worn as a dress, wrapping its waist tie's around the back of my neck.

But really, would I ever wear a dress like that? No. A simple length alter, and I have a skirt I can wear. I love it, particularly the waist straps which tie into a big bow around the back

But what am I to do with all that spare fabric? So beautiful, and so much of it

Roughly using this pattern, purchased from Savers for $1, I developed a top. I say I used this pattern roughly, because really, it is for a vintage maternity dress!

I used the top shapes of the pattern, but improvised the rest of the top. The pattern does not quite match at the front, but I did the best I could with the remaining material I had..

What is it about ethnic print in fashion which makes it so appealing? Perhaps it is those wonderful abstract patterns which bring a touch of worldliness and mystery of far away places that we'd all like to explore.

8 comments:

I actually stumbled across a skirt that is almost identical to yours at the Salvos Shop in Bacchus Marsh yesterday afternoon. My hand lingered for along time over the hanger, but I left it behind. Of course, it was not priced at one dollar!!!

Excellent refashioning, Erica Louise.

I can see that I am going to have to dig my sewing machine out of the shipping container.

i think i love the top the most. have really enjoyed following your creations in recent weeks. you inspire me to get into the tubs of funky patterned clothing i've picked up from opshops and haven't yet developed the sewing skills to convert. your creations are getting me motivated to get into them. thanx so much. :)